1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plant pots and, more particularly, to a suspended drain for a plant pot.
2. Description of Related Art
Gardening is a favorite American and worldwide pastime. Millions of people derive pleasure from gardens, whether they are large or small. There are thousands of devices that can be used to simplify and make gardening easier, especially for the novice gardener. Many of these devices are outlined in the related art.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 456,304 issued to Riley et al., outlines an ornamental design for a flower float.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,055 issued to Meyer, outlines the use of a flowerpot saucer, which will insure a generous circulation of air between the base of a flowerpot and a saucer. The saucer is molded out of soft rubber, which is durable, flexible and capable of severe usage and will not scratch or mark the table upon which it rests.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,206,694 issued to Greene, outlines the use of a base, such as a saucer or a tray, for a conventional flower pot, in which the novel construction, involving the use of a sunken bottom that is pitched towards the center of the saucer, is attained by the provision of a plurality of ribs of a particular disposition and configuration, on both the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom of the saucer or tray.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,581 issued to Jarvis, outlines a flowerpot having a drainage tray, an outer shell supported on the drainage tray, an upper insert, a lower insert and a top block. The upper insert is disposed between the lower insert and the top block. A soil groove is provided in the upper insert for receiving soil to determine the wetness of the soil above the top block.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,806 issued to Ito, outlines the use of an ornamental flower bed base assembly or matrix material, with a flower bed base plate, having a plurality of insertion holes disposed at appropriate intervals, and a plurality of flower plant holders, each having a sidewall provided with irrigation orifices and an open top end, with each of the flower plant holders being removably engageable with the respective insertion holes of the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,197 issued to Pope, outlines the use of a container for plants defined by a bottom, sidewalls, and a drainage riser extending interiorly from the bottom, the riser having drainage openings adjacent to the exterior extremity and including an opening communicating through the bottom. A removable plug is provided for closing the bottom opening, as desired. A plant support and drainage platform is removably fitted across the enclosure, above the extremity of the drainage riser, so as to define a plenum between the drainage platform and the riser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,783 issued to Peng, outlines the use of a flowerpot with a water/soil separative planting system, which consists of self-water storage and drainage facilities, to constantly maintain an adequate amount of moisture for the plant in the pot, so that rotting or withering of the plant may be avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,909 issued to Loran, outlines the use of a support device for plant and flower containers, that distributes the weight of the container on substrata, using a plurality of support members, while providing air circulation between the container and substrata, to deter compression of substrata and formation of mildew, mold and fungus on the substrata.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,596 issued to Kao, outlines the use of a potted plant having a housing incorporated in a reservoir therein. A plurality of supporting ribs is provided in the reservoir, with a disk member being supported above the reservoir by being positioned on the supporting ribs. The disk member further includes a plurality of draining holes formed through its periphery. An observation hole is also formed through the polygon member for measuring the water level in the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,035 issued to Locke et al., outlines the use of an automatic filing basin, provided for containing a selected amount of water, which is used for various purposes. The water may be transferred from the basin by wicks or by a pump to water, using devices such as plant pots or toys, to be provided for direct use from basin devices, such as animal feeders and habitats. The basin is kept supplied with water from a pressurized source by a specialized valve, which opens in response to a drop in water level below a first selected level, and closes in response to the water level reaching a second selected level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,025 issued to Smith, outlines the use of a self-watering plant pot made up of an outer pot, a liner of translucent or semi-translucent material that fits within the outer pot, a soil platform assembly that divides the liner into a soil compartment and a water reservoir, an optional float positioned in the water reservoir, and a water delivery channel for allowing water and air to be introduced into the water reservoir. The water delivery channel can be a water delivery tube extending upward from the soil platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,814 issued to Miotto, outlines the use of a container for cultivating and then displaying ornamental plants and flowers, made up of an outer vessel essentially divided into two parts, namely a lower part for containing water and an upper part for receiving the soil and the plant roots, the parts being separated by a horizontal wall, through which clay elements extend into the two parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,579 issued to Pavelka, outlines the use of planters and the proper drainage and watering of living plants kept within such planters, and more particularly, to a drainage and support insert for planters, which improves the drainage of water from the soil of potted plants, while maintaining a reservoir of water below the surface of the insert.
Great Britain patent number 2095083 granted to Ngau, outlines the use of an apparatus, for supplying a plant with water made up of an outer receptacle containing an inner receptacle, the outer receptacle having a platform therein for supporting the inner receptacle and for defining a lower chamber, for containing the water and a float valve, for controlling the supply of water to the chamber. The platform and a base of the inner receptacle are provided with apertures, through which passes a wick for feeding water from the lower chamber through the inner receptacle.
Although each device outlined in the previously discussed patents are novel and useful, these devices are complicated and often add weight to an already heavy plant pot. What is really needed is a device, which can help keep moisture within the soil of a potted plant, while reducing the weight of the potted plant. Such a device would be very valuable to those persons who work with and use potted plants.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.